Wire-stretcher.



PATENTED OCT. 9

.H. GJWBRNBR, WIRE STRETGHBR. APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, H06- x R w v w W m. E T v H I a A SJ k/kw x v m wow mr k m m cm, WASHINGTON, l7. c4

- No. 833,142. PATENTED OCT. 9, 1906. H. G. WERNER.

WIRE STRETGHER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY-'3, IBOQ.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY O. WERNER, OF WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO LOUIS G. GREY, OF WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA.

WlRE-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 3, 1906. Serial No. 324,649-

Patented Oct. 9, 1906.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY C. WERNER, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Wheeling, county of Ohio, and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire- Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in wire-stretchers, and more particularly to that class of Wire-stretchers employed in wire-fence construction; and it con sists in the particular construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which will hereinafter be fully described.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, durable, convenient, and comparatively inexpensive device for stretching wire by means of which the wire is readily stretched and carried beyond the post to which it is to be attached.

A further object is to provide a wirestretcher which firmly holds the wire under tension at any point to which it has been stretched, which will not permit the wire to slip back when the actuating-lever thereof is released, and which is adapted for use in splicing wires.

In describing the invention in detail reference is herein had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whic Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention, showing it mounted for splicing wires. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the invention, showing it mounted for stretching a wire past a post. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the invention. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the locking-collar. Fig. 6 is a central vertical section of the same, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the actuating-collar.

Referring to said drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates a main rod the front end of which is upturned and carries thereon an integral flattened horizontal lug with a slot therein constituting a wire-gripping jaw 2. Slidably mounted on said rod 1 are two collars 3, which support a longitudinal bar 4 in a position parallel'to the rod. Said collars each have an integral hollow interiorly-threaded stem 5, in which the threaded end of a screw 6, passed through the.

bar 4, is held.

Slidably mounted on the rod 1 at a point slightly in the rear of the foremost collar 3 is a loose locking-collar 7, which has an integral tangential lug 8, the lower end of which is pivotally attached to the bar 4, as shown. A spring 9 is coiled about the rod 1 with one of its ends resting against the foremost collar 3 and its opposite end against said locking-collar 7, with its extremity seated in a socket 10, provided therefor in the upper part of the face of said locking-collar, said spring normally holding said locking-collar in an inclined position, binding upon the rod 1.

Pivoted upon the bar 4 at a suitable point, preferably between the foremost supportingcollar 3 and the locking-collar 7, is the end of a lever 11. Loosely mounted on therod 1 between the locking-collar 7 and the rearmost supporting-collar 3 is an actuating-collar 12, having an integral lug 13, which is pivotally attached to one end of a link 14, the opposite end of which is pivotally connected with the lever 11 at a point in the rear of the pivotal connection of the latter with the bar 4. A spring 15 is mounted between the parallel bars 16, composing the link 14, and hasone end in bearing engagement withthe lever and the extremity of its opposite end seated in a socket in the actuating-collar 12, said spring normally holding said actuating-collar in an inclined or gripping position on the rod 1. The locking-collar 7 and the. actuating-collar 12 are respectively provided with forwardlyprojecting lips 17 and 18 on the sides adjacent to their pivotal connections, and extending inwardly through said lips are forwardlyinclined bevel-pointed screws 19 and 20, respectively, which are adapted to bite upon the rod 1 when said collars stand in their inclined positions. The bar 4 carries on its front end an integral hook 21, which is adapted for engagement with a post 22 of a wire fence. Loosely mounted on the rear end of the,rod 1 is a supporting-hook 23, which is adapted for supporting engagement with the wire which is being stretched.

In operating the device for stretching wires the mechanism, which is movableupon the rod, is moved near to the front end of the rod. The hook 21 is placed in engagement with a fence-post 22, as shown in Fig. 2, and

the wire is inserted between the members composing the jaw 2 by bending it vertically and slipping it into the slot in the horizontal lug, where it will be firmly gripped. The hook 23 is then hung over the wire to support the rear end of the rod. The actuating-collar 12 being in gripping engagement with the rod 1, when the lever 11 is drawn forward the rod is carried forward therewith, placing the wire under tension, the locking-collar 7 permitting said rod to slide forward therethrough. When the lever 11 is moved back, the actuating-collar 12 releases its hold on the rod 1 and slides back on said rod to secure a new hold thereon, while the locking-collar 7 firmly grips said rod, preventing its retraction and maintaining the tension of the wire. As is apparent, the rod 1 is gradually moved forward past the post to which it is to be attached by manipulation of the lever. Should further stretching of the wire be required after the rod has been moved to the limit of its forward movement, the wire may be tacked to the post in order to maintain its tension and the lever mechanism slipped back to the rear end of the rod in position for a repetition of the foregoing operation. Formed integral with the hook 21 is a lug 24, between which and the forward edge of said hook a wire may be inserted, said lug, together with said hook, constituting a jaw adapted for gripping the end of a wire when the device is employed for splicing wires. In splicing wires the end of one wire is gripped between the lug 24 and the forward edge of the hook 21, while the other wire is held by the jaw 2, as shown in Fig. 1. By operating the lever as hereinbefore described the two ends of the wires are drawn in opposite directions past each other. In this position they may be connected by using pliers, as ordinarily, or after disengaging the hook 23 from the wire the whole device may be turned over and under the wires, twisting them together.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A wire-stretcher consisting of a rod having an upturned front end with a flattened slotted lug constituting a jaw, a pair of sup porting-collars loosely mounted on said rod, a bar supported by said collars parallel to said rod, the front end of said bar being bent to form a hook, a locking-collar loosely mounted on said rod, said collar having an integral lug pivotally attached to said bar, a spring for normally holding said collar in an inclined gripping position on said rod, a lever pivoted on said bar, an actuating-collar loosely mounted on said rod in the rear of said locking-collar, said actuating-collar having an integral lug, a link pivotally attached at one end to the last-mentioned lug and at its opposite end to said lever, a spring for normally holding said actuating-collar in an spring-pressed locking-collar on said rod and having pivotal connection with said bar, a lever pivoted on said bar, a spring-pressed actuating-collar on said rod, a link having pivotal connection at one end with said actuating-collar and at its opposite end with said lever, and an integral hook on the front end of said bar, said hook having an integral lug thereon between which and the forward edge of the hook a wire may be rigidly held, substantially as described.

3. In a wire-stretcher, a rod having a stationary wire-gripping jaw at one end, a supporting-hook on the opposite end of said rod, a bar parallel to said rod, collars loosely mounted on said rod and connecting said bar thereto, a spring-pressed locking-collar on said rod and having pivotal connection with said bar, a lever pivoted on said bar, a springpressed actuating-collar on said rod, a link having pivotal connection at one end with said actuating-collar and at its opposite end with said lever, an integral hook on the front end of said bar, and a lug carried by said hook, which, together with said hook, constitutes a wire-gripping jaw, substantially as described.

4. In a wire-stretcher, a rod having a stationary wire-gripping jaw at one end, a supporting-hook on the opposite end of said rod, a bar parallel to said rod, collars loosely mounted on said rod and connecting said bar thereto, said collars having hollow interiorlythreaded stems in which the ends of securingscrews projected through said bar are held, a spring-pressed locking-collar on said rod and having pivotal connection with said bar, a lever pivoted on said bar, a spring-pressed actuating-collar on said rod, a link having pivotal connection at one end with said actuating-collar and at its opposite end with said lever, integral forwardly-extending lips carried by said locking-collar and said actuatingcollar, and inwardly and forwardly extending screws projected through said lips, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY C. WERNER. Witnesses:

H. E. DUNLAP, RoBT. F. DILWORTH. 

